PORT EWEN, N.Y. -- A 44-year-old man accused of vehicular manslaughter in the death of a teenager Thursday had been convicted in the mid-1990s of killing his girlfriend, authorities said.

Paul DeGraff Jr. of 201 Broadway, Port Ewen, is the same man who was sentenced in October, 1995, to two to six years for killing Debra Scism in November, 1994, police said.

Town of Ulster Police Chief Anthony Cruise confirmed Friday that DeGraff is the same man who killed Scism at the Boice Mobile Home Estates in the town of Ulster.

At the time of the homicide, DeGraff had initially described the Nov. 30, 1994, shooting at the trailer that he and Scism had shared as the outcome of his attempt to foil Scism's suicide.

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But town police said DeGraff later admitted he'd fired a single shot from a .40-caliber pistol that went through his left arm, Scism's head, and through a wall before landing on the ground outside.

In his plea, DeGraff admitted Scism wasn't trying to commit suicide when he shot her. DeGraff was allowed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter.

On Thursday at about 11:25 p.m., Derek J. Wood, of 199 Ulster Ave., Ulster Park, was killed when struck by a truck operated by DeGraff, according to the Ulster County Sheriff's Office.

DeGraff, whose blood alcohol was measured at 0.18 percent, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter, a felony, and criminal mischief and driving while intoxicated, misdemeanors, deputies reported.

Driving while intoxicated is defined as a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more.

Authorities said DeGraff was traveling eastbound on Salem Street, Port Ewen, when he failed to negotiate a curve and struck a guardrail. The 2009 GMC Sierra driven by DeGraff mounted the top portion of the guardrail and continued in an easterly direction, striking Wood, who was walking westbound along the eastbound shoulder of the road.

After striking Wood, the vehicle continued on until it struck a tree and rolled over, trapping DeGraff inside.

Wood was taken to Kingston Hospital where he died.

DeGraff was freed from his vehicle and transported first to Kingston Hospital then admitted to Albany Medical Center for a possible fractured neck, where he is being guarded by law enforcement officials.

Anyone who may have been in the area and observed the accident is being asked to contact Ulster County Sheriff's detective division at (845) 338-3640.